Need Quality 2-stroke Trimmer Buying Advice 2013 - 2014

[Travinsky]

Hi everyone, I want to get a do-it-all trimmer so I can trim, cut and edge my small yard/garden. I say newer models because from what I have read, "they don't make them like they used to" seems to apply across the board, and good luck trying to find an older one in mint condition.

So I'm looking for best quality without spending more than $350. If I can get the job done without attachments that would be best so there are less things to store in my shrinking garage.

Please don't mention Honda/Husqy 4-cyl, it just weighs too much, and wife calls me butter-fingers for a reason, I drop things all the time. When heavy things fall, they usually cost more to fix.

Also would like recommendation since I have a small 1/4 acre lot with a dozen fruit trees and st. Augustine grass. The yard only has a clear 2000 sf to mow, 200 lf of fence trimming and 100 lf to edge in front.

I want to skip the mower option since my 2 yr old $300 C-man mower carb was killed by ethanol 3 times so I plan to fix one last time and sell. My current trimmer is an electric B&D that I constantly have to change the string even though I am running .095. So a model that allows quick trimmer changes is also good. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to give the community the most info possible.

Here are pics of my yard:

Trampled back side


Good back side w/ dozen banana trees to left (not in picture)


Fruit tree side yard with 7 tropical and dwarf trees


Front yard


The fourth side is just 5 ft wide but has a few papaya, vegetables and herbs planted. It's quite a garden that my wife has put together.

 

[SASORacing]

Echo for $169 or $200 at home depot.

 

[shawhite]

Still kombi system with trimmer and edger attachment. Should be real close to your budget.

 

[JBradley500]

I've got a Husqvarna 323L. I love it.

 

[raiderhillbilly]

Ethanol proof Echo: http://www.echo-usa.com/Products/Cordless-Trimmer/DSRM-200

 

[No Sweat Photos]

Keep a cheap mower, it's hard to mow St Augustine grass level with a weed eater !!
From a 20+ year commercial lawn guy, with lots of St Augustine accounts. I use 2strokegas and oil mixture in all my equipment. The oil will help protect carb from ethanol damage. Does the Craftsman mower have a Briggs and Stratton motor ?? I always have better luck with them !!

Buy a Stihl semi -pro unit. I get 8-10 years from my Stihl units !!

 

[shawhite]

Ethanol proof Echo: http://www.echo-usa.com/Products/Cordless-Trimmer/DSRM-200

Think I would rather replace a carb every 5-7 then to replace one of those batteries every year or 2

 

[Travinsky]

Keep a cheap mower, it's hard to mow St Augustine grass level with a weed eater !!
From a 20+ year commercial lawn guy, with lots of St Augustine accounts. I use 2strokegas and oil mixture in all my equipment. The oil will help protect carb from ethanol damage. Does the Craftsman mower have a Briggs and Stratton motor ?? I always have better luck with them !!

Buy a Stihl semi -pro unit. I get 8-10 years from my Stihl units !!

Yep its a Briggs "Gold" 190cc, and i hate to lose money but maybe I'll take your advice and keep it in the shed i just bought to clear garage space. Which Stihl?

 

[thebeekeeper1]

If I were you I would go to a Stihl dealer, lay out your situation, and take his advice. There is a reason Stihl is number one by a large margin.

 

[No Sweat Photos]

Yep its a Briggs "Gold" 190cc, and i hate to lose money but maybe I'll take your advice and keep it in the shed i just bought to clear garage space. Which Stihl?

Stihl FS70r the old 2 stoke motor, stay away from the 4 stroke motors as they need valve adjustments almost yearly. The cutter head is the best I have used.

http://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/professional-trimmers/fs70rce/

 

[straightcut]

I feel your pain regarding gas/ethanol blend going bad and clogging the carburetor. My small engine gas was going bad before I could use it and failed to keep track of when I had bought it (to tell how old it was). My solution has been to purchase AV Gas at a local airport because it doesn't have ethanol. For added insurance, I add Stabil to that! I'm done with fouled carburetors, but still enjoy burning gas to do the yard.

I don't have a model number for you, but I've been very happy with my Echo 2 stroke straight shaft line trimmer. It was around $230. Though marketed as a home use model, the lawn shop I bought it from said many of the commercial users bought them because they were that durable.

 

[Travinsky]

Stihl FS70r the old 2 stoke motor, stay away from the 4 stroke motors as they need valve adjustments almost yearly. The cutter head is the best I have used.

http://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/professional-trimmers/fs70rce/

Thanks. BTW is there a height limit? I am 6-2 and I have read some trimmers are designed for different users . It's very difficult to find things that fit right for me (cars, motorcycles, etc).

 

[bob15]

Stihl Kombi. Get the km90r. Bottom end Pro version. Plenty of attachments.....

 

[Dirty Diesels]

Like others have said, I'd go with Stihl.

 

[Travinsky]

I feel your pain regarding gas/ethanol blend going bad and clogging the carburetor. My small engine gas was going bad before I could use it and failed to keep track of when I had bought it (to tell how old it was). My solution has been to purchase AV Gas at a local airport because it doesn't have ethanol. For added insurance, I add Stabil to that! I'm done with fouled carburetors, but still enjoy burning gas to do the yard.

I have an small airport just 2 miles away so I will see if they can sell me some. Only reason I've wondered about the place is to learn how to parachute, but wife says "NO" as long as were married -- hmmm.

Edit:
Just got off the phone and they won't sell it to me unless I have a plane, too bad since the first guy in the admin bldg said it was under $6/gal.

 

[PBCampbell]

I've used Stabil (the red stuff) for 8 or 9 years now. It's been so long since I've overhauled a carb, I'd probably have to read the instructions. I pull out 6 to 7 month old fuel in the spring without problems. I often doubt I'd have a problem without the Stabil, but it's relatively cheap insurance. Briggs is a good choice (with their Walbro or even Zama carbs) as info for repair is easy to come by and via the internet often free. Some chemtool (Berryman's) and a soak along with an overhaul kit and some observance of basic maitenance would keep that mower humming along for a very long time.
As for string trimmers, I've long felt that 25cc is the sweet spot for power to weight for 2 strokes. I know nothing pertaining to 4 strokes. You have a lot of choices for pro grade equipment beyond Stihl, Echo, etc.. I would explore those possibilities as being in Miami you undoubtedly have dealers for most pro equipment. Brands for which you can buy parts over the internet rather through a dealer is where I'd focus. My favorite strimmer for the past few years has been a Robin NB2450. It has been tough as nails, light in weight and powerful.
I hope I've been helpful in some small way.

 

[Travinsky]

I've been very happy with my Echo 2 stroke straight shaft line trimmer. It was around $230. Though marketed as a home use model, the lawn shop I bought it from said many of the commercial users bought them because they were that durable.

Echo for $169 or $200 at home depot.

I was leaning toward Echo since it has a long warranty and I have $150 in HD store credit I could used toward buying one. After reading soooo many reviews I wanted a reason not to get an Echo, and get something different and special since everyone seems have one from HD.

I like the Stihl and Husqvarna, but not happy with some issues they have had. So the only other trimmer that has a 5-7 year warranty is the Hitachi for about the same price as an Echo.

My issue with Hitachi is that few people talk about them, good or bad. Others on my radar included the Dolmar, Shindaiwa and Kawasaki, but again few people talk about them.

 

[PBCampbell]

Hitachi is rather new on the scene. I'm pretty sure they bought out an established brand, but can't recall who. Shindaiwa is an old stalwart brand that is now a division of Echo. Dolmar/Robin is a division of Makita and have a history of dependable performance oriented machines. I'd take an assessment of your needs before jumping into a combination machine. You may find 2 or 3 dedicated machines serve your needs better. I certainly wouldn't buy a tiller attachment as a Hoe and Rake will do most of what that could do.

 

[SMKS]

Thanks. BTW is there a height limit? I am 6-2 and I have read some trimmers are designed for different users . It's very difficult to find things that fit right for me (cars, motorcycles, etc).

I'm also 6'2" and I just got the FS70R a month or so ago. All I did was move the handle all the way up and I'm comfortable using it.

The FS70R is the cheapest of the "pro" models. It doesn't have the solid drive shaft of the more expensive pro models, but it has a heavier-duty engine than the homeowner models.

I've been really happy with it so far.

I also looked at Redmax, Echo and Shindaiwa trimmers and all three appeared good quality, but my father in law is a Stihl dealer so I got the FS70R.

On the Hitachis that another member mentioned, Hitachi recently bought Tanaka. Hitachi and low-end Tanaka tools appear the same. The Hitachi trimmers have some good reviews, but they're all made in China and some areas have few dealers. I can buy a Hitachi trimmer online, but there are no dealers anywhere near me, so I could never use the warranty.

Also, avoid Kawasaki outdoor equipment, unless you don't care about warranty. Their equipment looks really nice and heavy duty, but Kawasaki discontinued their outdoor power division in the U.S. in December 2013, so I suspect there will be no places to honor the warranty in the future.

I was bummed when I read this, because I was going to buy a Kawasaki leaf blower that looked really nice and heavier duty than other brands.
http://www.greenindustrypros.com/news/10897515/kawasaki-exiting-handheld-lawn-equipment-business

The Engines and Power Products Division of Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC), has announced that it will no longer remain in the handheld power products business category after December 31, 2013.

 

[hoylebros]

Echo or Sthil. We've been running the same Echos (210 and 230) for 8 years in our lawn service. Stihls are great too. Spend what you can on one of these and you'll be happy. Just be sure that at the end of the year when it's not in use to drain or run all the gas out. That will keep it going for a looong time!

 

[Travinsky]

SMKS: That makes life easier when Hitachi, Kawa and Shin are out of the picture. So now to the heavy hitters Husqy, Stihl, Echo and Redmax.

Since you are familiar with Stihl, why should I get a FS70 instead of the newer FS94?

 

[nanofrog]

I was leaning toward Echo since it has a long warranty and I have $150 in HD store credit I could used toward buying one. After reading soooo many reviews I wanted a reason not to get an Echo, and get something different and special since everyone seems have one from HD.

I like the Stihl and Husqvarna, but not happy with some issues they have had. So the only other trimmer that has a 5-7 year warranty is the Hitachi for about the same price as an Echo.

My issue with Hitachi is that few people talk about them, good or bad. Others on my radar included the Dolmar, Shindaiwa and Kawasaki, but again few people talk about them.

Hitachi/Tanaka (same machines, different names & color plastic) are quite good from what I've heard (and seen in the past). But the dealer network is a lot smaller yet. You'll be able to get parts and even the machine online if you don't have a local dealer, but if you run into something you can't fix yourself, it could get messy (lack of an experienced tech for that particular brand). And warranty support would be difficult as well. YMMV on this, but if you're comfortable with doing all the work yourself, it may still be worth a look. Personally, I'd prefer a dealer within driving distance while it's still under warranty, should it actually require warranty work.

Same with Kawasaki and Dolmar IMHO (don't underestimate the importance of dealer support).

Maruyama are top quality machines IME (best production machines based on research available at the time, and I've not been disappointed since buying one), and seems to have a larger dealer network than Hitachi/Tanaka or Kawasaki (not seen a Dolmar dealer, ever).

And I suspect this growing number of Maruyama dealers has to do with the fact that Echo and Husqvarna are now sold by HD and Lowes respectively, causing more aggravation and reduced profits for traditional lawn equipment dealers. So they're bailing on those brands and filling the product line with others such as Maruyama instead (top quality brand that still allows them to earn enough $$$ it's worthwhile).

BTW, you won't need the larger displacement models, as Maruyama's smallest, the 22.5cc, is more than sufficient (power output is 1HP, so equivalent to ~30cc consumer units to give you an idea, and comes in at 12 - 13 lbs for the model that takes attachments). Dedicated trimmer only would be a bit lighter I would think (gets rid of the shaft interlocking mechanism's weight).

Stihl has declined since the acquisition by John Deere from what I understand, and the reports were enough to scare me away and seek a better alternative.

As per the fuel issue, there are regular pump gas stations that advertise 100% gasoline (FL list, and it shows multiples in Miami). Mix in your own quality 2 cycle oil, and the ethanol problem is solved. Straight gas costs a bit more, but not by a lot.

 

[No Sweat Photos]

Look here to find a ethanol free gas station near you for your mower problems !!

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=FL

 

[SMKS]

SMKS: That makes life easier when Hitachi, Kawa and Shin are out of the picture. So now to the heavy hitters Husqy, Stihl, Echo and Redmax.

Since you are familiar with Stihl, why should I get a FS70 instead of the newer FS94?

I wouldn't necessarily knock Hitachi and Shindaiwa out, unless there aren't any dealers in your area. The most critical thing will be having local dealers that are good. You can find dealers on the Hitachi site.

Also, make sure you have a Husky dealer in your area. Some places don't have those.

I actually am not a Stihl expert. I will say that I think the FS70R is a somewhat new model in the last couple years. I just took a casual look at the FS94 and it has a couple features I don't need and its main benefit seems to be that it's a lightweight model. That might matter if you're using it all day, but I only use it once a week, so the weight difference doesn't matter to me.

Beyond that, I don't know if there are other differences. I personally probably wouldn't spend extra for the 94.

Also, don't take my word on the ergonomics. Go to your local dealer and see if you're comfortable with the length of the trimmers for your height.

Stihl has declined since the acquisition by John Deere from what I understand, and the reports were enough to scare me away and seek a better alternative.

Stihl was not acquired by John Deere. JD and Stihl signed an agreement to let many JD dealers become Stihl dealers. JD discontinued their JD-branded line of handheld outdoor power equipment, so Stihl now fills that niche.
http://www.stihlusa.com/information/corporate/press/jul08_johndeere/

STIHL Inc. and John Deere announced today a joint agreement that will permit John Deere’s qualified servicing dealers to carry the STIHL line of handheld outdoor power equipment (OPE) in their stores.

I also don't believe the claim about declining quality. I haven't had a perfect experience with all my Stihl equipment, but like any major brand there will be haters who complain online about it or some examples of people who have problems.

JD also discontinued their walk-behind mower line in the US, so JD signed another deal with Honda allowing many JD dealers sell Honda mowers.

 

[Travinsky]

The most critical thing will be having local dealers that are good. You can find dealers on the Hitachi site.

Also, don't take my word on the ergonomics. Go to your local dealer and see if you're comfortable with the length of the trimmers for your height

I have a dealer near me for all the listed brands, but my yard is tiny compared to others so I am wondering if its overkill to ask for better quality.

You are actually a perfect example for ergonomics since we are the same height, also you have a plethora of knowledge at your findertips.

Look here to find a ethanol free gas station near you for your mower problems !!

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=FL

Thanks, I didn't know some of these companies (Sunoco) still operated in Miami.

(don't underestimate the importance of dealer support).

Maruyama are top quality machines IME (best production machines based on research available at the time.

I've seen their website and like their specs and innovation. Now that you've explained how some brands have been marketed and have blanketed the airwaves by the big box stores, it make sense. I will head over to my local dealer and try the Maruyama and Stihl, maybe they can see what I need better than I can.

 

[Wamsutta]

Thanks. BTW is there a height limit? I am 6-2 and I have read some trimmers are designed for different users . It's very difficult to find things that fit right for me (cars, motorcycles, etc).

At 6-2 you should be looking for a trimmer with a long bar. Tanaka trimmers have 60 inch bars and one model has a 71 inch bar.

 

[outdoorsman310]

I bought an echo srm-225 when I was 12, now I am 19. I use it on a fairly large yard and have used it a few times with a blade to cut down a bunch of frags. I partially rebuilt the carb this year, for no real reason other than the primer filling slowly after sitting for a long time. other than that I did a fuel and air filter. I run 32-1 and had an expansion pipe on it for awhile.
I have a friend that has a hitachi long bar model and really likes it. It is a Canadian model though. I'd definitely recommend the echo and breaking it in on non synthetic oil.

 

[7echo]

Look for a station that sells 'marine gas'. That should be ethanol free. Probably lots of that around Miami.

Get a Stihl. Shindaiwa or Maruyama would be my next choice, pending a nearby servicing dealer, as others have mentioned.

If my 25 YO Echo SRM-250 ever dies I will be getting a Stihl.

 

[justme-]

I'm a power equipment mechanic for a Redmax/Stihl dealer. I've been working on small engines for over 20 years, and my other mechanics have far far more experience than I do in one hand.

DO NOT buy any trimmer from Lowes of Home Depot if you want it to last regardless of brand. Once a company makes an agreement with a box store the line they have there is a redesigned for profit series - with significantly cheaper parts which means longevity goes in the toilet.
I've worked on Husqvarna trimmers from Lowes - the starter pawls are total junk, nothing like the real Husky sold at a real dealer. Echo used to be a top line commercial product. Yeah, those saying they bought one 10, 12, 15 years ago bought a great product... that's not the Echo of today. Parts are almost non existent, and when parts are available it's not cost effective to put a $90 carb on a $150 (not including labor). Same for Ryobi, Poulan, Weedeater, Craftsman.... Redmax is owned by Husqvarna... it is a relaunched Tanaka or shindaiwa (I can never remember which). It's good stuff, but more expensive than Stihl. Troybuilt are marginal - we repair a fair amount of them and parts are available, but they are not the Stihl/Husky quality level.

Also - forget the red Stabil - it's not the same formula it used to be. If you have to use Stabil, use the blue marine stuff which also helps fight ethanol/water. I saw (and copied) a display a neighboring shop (we're all friends - they are Husky dealer) with 3 jars of gas (store made, not vender made or vender idea... the mechanic came up with the idea to show his customers who loyally used Stabil red and annually needed new carbs). 1 jar is fresh from the pump, another with Stabil, the 3rd has Startron. Jars all filled the same batch of gas and sealed and dated. After a month there is a noticeable difference in the gas..Startron gas looks blue and fresh, stabil looks just like the pump gas - brown and varnish.
I'm letting my jars age in the shop so I can see them and make sure they are not tampered with. Don't keep gas around for long. Mix fresh batches in small batches regularly when you need it and add the extra to your car gas tank (2 stroke oil won't hurt anything). At then end of the season buy no ethanol fuel from a power equipment dealer (stihl sells it premixed with oil as do other brands) and run a tank through your trimmer (and lawnmower, snowblower....) before putting it away for the season and you'll prevent a large portion of the carb issues. Also store your equipment with a full tank of fuel or a completely empty one -to prevent condensation from forming in the tank.

If you want a quality trimmer that can use attachments (like an edger, pole saw, sweeper, tiller...) you need to spend some cash. I own and have used several Ryobi units for several years, tinkering with them every spring to get them running. I've been reasonably happy albeight they lack real power for heavy work. I plan on getting a Stihl Kombi (multi tool power head like Ryobi/troybuilt) or Husky version but they are $400.
I just bought a Stihl FS55 straight trimmer (off one of my coworkers) and love the increased power - .095 dual line head cuts great where my ryobi kept eating heads, and I got tired of replacing them at $30 a shot, so I got a pivot trim head, but it can only run 2 of the 4 lines on the smallest head.

Ask yourself if you really need those attachments. I have never used the edger for my ryobi, I already have a mini cultivator/edger, and really only need a power broom and trimmer. Since I can rent the broom from work for the 1 day I need it a year sweeping the gravel back into my driveway after snowplowing is done, I only really need a trimmer.

 

[tomshep]

I had a John Deere from HD about 10 years ago. It had a blade attachment as well. Never used the blade. Sucker was heavy and used a shoulder strap. Carb crapped out after a few years and I tossed it.

Went to HD and bought the lightest (and cheapest as it turned out) Echo they had. That was probably 5 years ago. I love that thing. It is sooo much lighter and easier to use. Cuts great.

I run the red stabil in my weedie, blower (also Echo) and mower. They have all given reliable service and haven't needed a carb rebuild ever. All are 5+ years.

Since you have $150 at HD that is where I would be going.

Jeez, have I just jinxed myself....

Tom

 

[straightcut]

I checked to see what I bought; it's an Echo SRM 225. Some added comments from when I bought: I was pretty set on a Stihl and bought from a professional small gas repair/sales shop - they're good, honest folks. I was told they had no preference between Stihl and Echo, despite the Echo being less expensive. It's certainly not been well used (yet), but it works perfectly and I enjoy using it.

I had to call around to find a place at the airport that would sell av gas to someone walking in with a can. One place wouldn't, but the next place gladly sells to walk-ins and provides excellent customer service to boot.

I've heard the marine grade (blue) Stabil has a longer life than the red, FWIW.

 

[Travinsky]

Since you have $150 at HD that is where I would be going.

Jeez, have I just jinxed myself....

Tom

I was planning to use the $150 for a couple air tools to outfit my new 3HP compressor, but i guess it comes handy for everything in HD. But before i pull the trigger on the Echo, I do plan to visit the local dealer as see what goodies he's got. My max budget is $350 but if a $200 machine can do the same and last as long as any other for small yard, I am for it.

 

[nanofrog]

Stihl was not acquired by John Deere. JD and Stihl signed an agreement to let many JD dealers become Stihl dealers.

My apologies, I was going on incorrect information found in other forums, not directly from JD or Stihl (source = lawn care pro I trusted).

And when I saw Stihl in an ACE Hardware store (independent franchise), it lent credence to it in my mind (saw it as that proverbial first step to end up in big box stores in time, despite the claims to the contrary of this happening). Please understand, I've seen marketing say one thing, and the exact opposite occurring with enough regularity I take the marketing hype with a large dose of salt.

And given JD sells through big box stores such as Lowes, that doesn't strike a lot of confidence in me (necessity to meet very tight production budgets). So I ended up combining a fact (JD's products sold through Lowes aren't so wonderful) with incorrect information as to who was in control of Stihl, and I came to the wrong conclusions in this regard.

I also don't believe the claim about declining quality. I haven't had a perfect experience with all my Stihl equipment, but like any major brand there will be haters who complain online about it or some examples of people who have problems.

My research was based on information from forums such as LawnSite.com for Stihl models sold around '09 - '11 or so when I was in the market (looked at models from other brands too of course). Saw information that indicated FS90's, 110's, and 130's would only last a couple of years for commercial use for example with just enough regularity to make me nervous.

Not saying it's garbage, but the value didn't seem to be there when older Stihl's I was aware of were proverbial Energizer Bunnies (go and go and go... without any fuss). So it seemed that both better value and performance could be had elsewhere in a smaller displacement commercial unit, preferably an expandable attachment version.

YMMV of course, but I made what I thought was a reasonable decision based on the information that was in front of me at the time.

And thus far, I've not regretted buying what I ended up with (FWIW, it's an MC23SB bought in Mar. '11). Already cheaper than replacing box store **** every year or so over it's current life span, so any additional service life now puts me ahead financially.

 

[Notgrownup]

Echo sr225 just bought one at the beginning of spring and it's the best one I gave Dover had, easy start and 5 year warranty did it for me....it has the easy start crank...

 

[RCL]

I really like my Echo.
I use ethanol free gas from a local station. Cost is higher, but I think it is well worth it.
Stihl is great equipment also.

 

[tmunsch]

Just bought the Echo SRM 230SPC. Had my previous Echo for 12 years and all I had to change was cutting head.....I like them.....


T,

 

[Travinsky]

I use ethanol free gas from a local station. Cost is higher, but I think it is well worth it.

According to the web list, I have a station that's 9-10 miles away selling non-ethanol gas.

How long will it stay fresh? I have both a 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks?

 

[Wakefield]

According to the web list, I have a station that's 9-10 miles away selling non-ethanol gas.

How long will it stay fresh? I have both a 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks?

Still best to use a stabilizer and use a sealed (air tight) gas can and only keep it around for a year? (Even if a little less to go wrong than with the E10 fuel) and the engine might run a little less lean and/or the 2 stroke oil lube a little better?
Not as hard on rubber and plastic and less "chalking" of the metal used in carburetors that might only show up after several years?

 

[nanofrog]

According to the web list, I have a station that's 9-10 miles away selling non-ethanol gas.

How long will it stay fresh? I have both a 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks?

FWIW, I make a fresh batch at the beginning of the season, which lasts me all the way through on a heavily planted .55 acre lot (2.5gal can, I use ~2 gal). Whatever is left-over, I then pour in my truck to use it up.

 

[rice rocket]

You pour the two-stroke mix in your truck?